First Place Asel Award Winner

I was honored to win recognition for one of my Posey paintings this month at the Visual Art League of Lewisville Monthly Meeting.   It is a group of such talented and varied artists whom I have had the privilege of learning and working with.  Many of them have realized amazing artistic achievements and I just LOVE the inspiration that comes from coversations I have had with each of them.  

This piece was done with acrylic and collage.  I actually tore up a hymn book for some of the flowers and glued them to the surface with mixed media adhesive.  I really liked how the old hymnal pages soaked up the paint.  

This was a mixed media technique I actually learned from Misty Oliver's Art Journaling workshop and I just tried applying it on a canvas board on a whim.  It turned out beautifully.

This painting along with 10 others are currently on display in Spontaneous II - A Three Person show in the North wing of the MCL Grand.  Free to the public and open Tuesday through Saturdays, 1-5PM from now through May 24th.  

Posies in a Pot I
First Place Asel Award Winner
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic Collage
11" x 13"
$75.00

Posies in a Pot II
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic Collage
11" x 13"
$75.00

Easter Crosses, Glorious Reminders of Life and Love

Easter to me is the most precious day of the year. It’s the day the first believers discovered the tomb was empty, after Jesus had suffered and died on the cross and had been put inside it three days earlier.  Easter is a day to thank God, who had enough love for us to allow his son to be executed to cover our sins.  It was the only price great enough to allow us, imperfect people to connect with God, Holy, Perfect, Loving, All Knowing God.  Depending on the pain and experiences humans have had during their trek through life here on earth, the cross can symbolize different things, some of them negative, especially if one only knows part of the story.  I know the end of the story.  The same resurrection power that raised Christ from the depths of the tomb  is waiting for me when my journey here on earth ends.  So, to me, the cross is not a symbol of death or pain, it is a glorious reminder of life and love.  I celebrate that here with these colorful Easter crosses.   

Acrylic Collage Easter Crosses
Various sizes, between 8" and 16" tall

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NASB

 The crosses are all made of wood.  To make them I painted the back's black and on some of them had to attach a nail hanger.  The fronts are done with a collage of actual dried acrylic paint that I peeled off my palates and saved.  The palate paint would have other wise just been thrown away and wasted, but instead, I have given it new life.  I used Mixed Media adhesive as the medium which is very messy, but the end result is a smooth shiney finish that really makes the colors pop.  Enjoy!

Art Post Cards

I think it is so important to feed your creativity as an artist, and creating a post card is a great way to do that quickly and inexpensively.  They are small, so if you don't have a lot of studio time, it is a great way to feel like you have accomplished something artistic which is not only beautiful, but also useful.    I purchased blank post cards made of heavy water color paper at Asel Art Supply.  They have a new location in Denton by the way!  You can use water color or any paint on them if you want, but these were done with India Ink and they are lovely.

3 Steps to Bluegrass Bronco

Last night we had a spectacular turn out for the opening reception of our Wild's of Texas show.  I enjoyed meeting so many new people and catching up with my fellow artists.  One of the questions I got at the show was about the process of creating one of my pieces.  So, here it is, step by step incase anyone wants to try their hand at their own artistic creation.  

Step one (bottom) After I gessoed the canvas and laid on a layer of acrylic with a sea sponge, I planned my design.  I use chalk because it is easy to remove and change.

Step two (middle) I filled in the spaces with color and some highlights.  I taped off the point where the horse's hooves hit the ground and used the edge of a palate knife to add splashes of paint.  This anchored my horse to the ground.

Step three (top) I continued with layers of color and outlined with Bob Ross Liquid Black Acrylic.  The thick black lines added drama and created a feel of quick motion for the painting.

This is currently on display in the gallery at the MCL Grand Lewisville for the rest of April and May 2014.  Enjoy!

Bluegrass Bronco
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic on Canvas
20"x20"

Step 2 for Bluegrass Bronco

Step 1 for Bluegrass Bronco

Texas Opening Reception April 12, 7PM to 9PM MCL Grand in Lewisville

SOLD
Texas
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic and Collage on Canvas
12" x 36"

Hope to see you tomorrow night if you are local at the opening reception of the Wilds of Texas show at the MCL Grand Art Gallery, April 12th 7:00 PM to 9:00PM.  I will have 3 pieces in the show.

2nd Place Asel Award Winner! Sour Apple Bronco

Each month I attend a local Arts group meeting at the Visual Art League of Lewisville.  I love the different variety of artists that attend and have found it to be a great way to learn more about what inspires other artists to create their work.  I was honored to win 2nd place in their Asel Art Award contest last month with this painting of my Sour Apple Bronco.  It will be shown soon in the upcoming Wild's of Texas Art Show.  More details to follow soon.

Five Paintings and Quotes about Flowers

I did five of these together and LOVE them.  I am posting them here, each with a quote about flowers.  May they bring you JOY!

Posies I
Acrylic / Mixed Media
8 1/2" x 11"
by Cheryl Harris White
$40.00

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. --Claude Monet

Posies II
Acrylic / Mixed Media
8 1/2" x 11"
by Cheryl Harris White
$40.00


Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them. -- A. A. Milne

Posies III
Acrylic / Mixed Media
8 1/2" x 11"
by Cheryl Harris White
$40.00


The earth laughs in flowers.  -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posies IV
Acrylic / Mixed Media
8 1/2" x 11"
by Cheryl Harris White
$40.00
There are always flowers for those who want to see them.  -- Henri Matisse

Posies V
Acrylic / Mixed Media
8 1/2" x 11"
by Cheryl Harris White
$40.00


"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,"  Matthew 6:28

Posey Tree

I loved making this one.  Everything I learned  by making the small previous pieces in the last 3 posts, went into this one.  Some of the materials I used were painted papers and hymn book pages, jagged scissors, acrylic paint, gel medium, black liquid acrylic, mixed media adhesive, clear acrylic sealer and sponges and brushes.  I'll be doing some more like this.

Posey Tree
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic Collage On Canvas
12" x 36"

Rythem of Life Series - Joy

This was just an experiment really.  I liked the idea of flowers, symbolizing joy, growing out of an old boot.  Sometimes life gives us an old boot, and it is an effort to plant seeds of joy. . . but once we do, the joy grows.  Happy sowing!

JOY
Mixed Media
by Cheryl Harris White
81/2" x 11"

Rythem of Life Series - Peace

Here is another one I tried the same way.  Layers with washes of color built up on top of each other.  I call this one Peace.  If you look closely there are pages from the hymnal on the bottom layer.  

PEACE
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media
81/2" x 11"

Rhythm of Life Series, Dream

I have been experimenting with different papers and how they absorb  diluted washes of paint.  I found that an old hymnal I found had thick pages that were very thirsty and just absorbed the rich colors very well, but didn't fall apart and get soggy.  I must admit, I hesitated at tearing up the hymnal.  It had been on a shelf for years and no one ever used it.  I went ahead and used it though, because at least now, the words from the songs are on display in some really bright pieces of art.  It is definitely getting more attention now than it did collecting dust.  I created several of these and call them my Rhythm of Life Series.

DREAM
Mixed Media
by Cheryl Harris White
8 1/2' x 11"

How to make your own Hand Made Art Journal

3 pages folded and sewn together.
Do this 5 times to create 5 booklets.

Book Supplies: 
*15 pages of heavy water color paper cut or folded and torn to 9" by 11" dimensions 
( fold them in half to create the shape of a book 4 1/2" by 5 1/2 " and put them in groups of 3)

5 booklets taped together to form
one art journal book.  You are ready
to make the cover!

 * Waxed linen thread and a needle (Use the     needle and thread to sew them together at        the fold to create 5 little booklets)
 * Binding tape (Slip the tape through the           thread on the outside spine of each booklet     and hold them all together.

Adhesive Canvas
can be found at art supply
stores in many sized.   For
this project, use 11" x 14 "

Cover Supplies:
*1 adhesive backed piece of canvas 
size 11" by 14" 
* Water colors ( or other paint )
* Brushes
* Masking fluid (optional)
* Stencils ( used these to plan my designs
but they are optional.)
* Ruler (before you paint the canvas, 
use the ruler to mark off where the binding,
the front cover and the back cover will be.)

Paint your canvas with whatever paint
you like.  I used some masking fluid,
water color crayon and markers for mine.
Notice that there is extra room on the top
and bottom edges that will not show.  It
will get folded over when you cover
the book.

* Scissors
* Sharpies

Finished Art Journal!

Once the cover is dry and your
booklets are sewn and taped together;
simply cover the book.
Use scissors to trim corners.

  

Thinking Pink Art Journal Page

Thinking PINK

 "Almost all words do have color, and nothing is more pleasant than to utter a pink word and see someone's eyes light up and know it is a pink word for him or her too." --Gladys Taber.

Since this blog is a celebration of color, light and life, the idea of a color belonging to a word or words was interesting to me.  It caused me to make a list of pink words. I began with the obvious ones to get rolling; lipstick, bubble gum, cotton candy, blush, roses and lips. Then I branched out a bit, which worked much better.  My top PINK words were; Joy, Lily, Sensing, Intuition, Inspired, Beauty and Lovely.  So share a PINK word with someone you love today and have beautiful, inspired day.  

Thinking Pink Art Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Poppies Art Journal Page

These pale poppies are so soft looking.  They are another example of a happy accident.  I put three blots of red paint on the page and closed the journal.  The result kind of reminded me of a row of poppies.  So I dropped a green drop of diluted acrylic paint at the base of each splotch and turned my journal upright.  Gravity did the rest.  All that was left was some outlining with a pen.

Poppies Art Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Art Is My Passion

True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist.  --Albert Einstein

I loved putting this quote on this page because when I created this background, I was just playing with liquid acrylic paints and inks and nothing was intentional.  The drops of color are actually from drops of rubbing alcohol that bled through from the next page.  I was in a zone, creating as many backgrounds as fast as possible.  I found this image of a girl exercising and painted over her.  I chose her for her PASSION. She seems so intentional and focused. So when the pages dried, I added my focused, intentional, disciplined, passionate girl onto this happy accident of a page.

Art Is My Passion Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Java Mama, Cup of Joe

Here is another page I finished at the art journaling workshop at Misty Oliver Foster's Art Studio in Frisco last weekend.  I loved this old fashioned pair of ladies sipping coffee from their dainty china cups and silver tea service.  They seem so far removed from our current coffee shop culture; where we get to decide between Venti, Grand or Tall sizes of Mocha's, Frappes, Frappuccinos, Macchiato's, Latte's, Iced Coffee's and more.  Not to mention the choices of cream, soy, whip and other flavors.  The image of these two gals chatting over plain black coffee reminds me of a simpler time.  They are the focus of the page and to make them stand out, I painted over their images in grey tones, and used black and white pen to outline them. This contrast from the green page with red accents is what makes these two Java Mama's stand out and be noticed.

Java Mama, Cup of Joe
Art Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Be, Live, Bloom

Last weekend I went to an art journaling workshop at Misty Oliver Foster's Art Studio in Frisco.  She is a very talented artist as well as an excellent teacher.  I highly recommend taking her workshops if you ever have an opportunity to do so and included a link to her site above.  Check her out.

Below is one example of an art journal page I completed while I was there.  I included a quote I just love from Charles Dickens as well... " Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of it's own."  I loved this because even though there were seasons of my childhood when I DID NOT believe red hair and freckles were beautiful, that all eventually changed.  As I grew, I realized that not only is it beautiful, it's what makes me shine.  That's what made me bloom.

Be, Live, Bloom
Art Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Art At The Speed of Life Lesson 25

In Lesson 25 in Pam Carrker's book  Creating Art At The Speed of Life, we are challenged to create  tag using the artistic component of LINE.  I love lines, so this was a favorite of mine.  Lines connect objects and give our eye a path to follow as it explores the page.  We were to create a tag using our own signature or initials. If you look closely you can see mine  C H W.  I liked using my lines to also create some figures of people.  You have to look closely to see them, but there are 4 of them.  3 of them have blue and green heads and being connected with the main lines in the composition symbolizing their close relationship with each other.  One of them is purple and red in the lower corner and disconnected from the others and almost turned inside out, alone.  The line simply comes onto the page and travels back off again with out connecting with the others.

CHW
Art Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Hope Springs Eternal Art Exhibit February 22nd through March 29th

I have 3 pieces up in the upcoming Hope Springs Eternal Exhibit  at the MCL Grand in Old Town Lewisville!  Opening Reception is Saturday night, Feb 22nd at 7:00PM.  Enjoy!

Dates: FEB. 22 – MAR. 29

Cost: Free

Hours: open Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. 

Address: 100 North Charles St. Lewisville, TX 75057 (972) 219-8446

Memories
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic Collage on Canvas
36" x 36"
$200.00

Orange Tree With Purple Leaves
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic Collage on Canvas
18" x 24"
$75.00

Red Tree With Blue Leaves By the River
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic Collage on Canvas
18" x 24"
$75.00

On Love for Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day from Paint On My Walls to you.  This was a wreath I made for a fundraiser event in Highland Village and I wanted to post it yesterday as my blog valentine along with some of my favorite quotes and thoughts about LOVE.  More Art Journal pages coming soon as well as details about the Hope Springs Eternal Art Show at the MCL Grand opening next week.

Key To My Heart Wreath
by Cheryl Harris White
SOLD

"Love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun, more last than star." — e.e. cummings

Where there is great love, there are always wishes. Willa Cather

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2  

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Martin Luther King, Jr.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 

Celebrating my blog birthday! Lesson 23 Art At The Speed of Life

Today is my blog's THIRD birthday.  February 11th! Still exploring the art element of form, Lesson 23 is called Make Your Mark.  Pam Carriker's book Creating Art At the Speed of Life gave us a chance to look back on previous art pages for marks, doodles, patterns used frequently.  I used a February Calendar page and set aside 2/11/13 to wish Paint On My Walls a Happy Birthday.  All the other squares are filled with line patterns.  I really enjoyed combining zen tangle patterns with color .  This was a very relaxing page and one of the most enjoyable so far.

Happy Third Birthday Paint On My Walls 2/11/14
Make Your Mark Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Art At The Speed of Life Lesson 22

Lesson 22 from Pam Carriker's book was an exercise in form to create a mask.  I loved creating the greyish pale face on the opposite page representing my somber self.  On my face are cool tones and collage images and dots.  The message on the face reminds me the beginning is always today.  This face is confronting real life.  The mask shows the dreamy, hopeful, life giving self, nurturing my soul with love and hope.  I liked the happy yellow and green color palate and whimsical collage and stamping elements.

Un-Masked
Art Journal page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Art At The Speed of Life Lesson 21

Lesson 21 in Pam Carriker's book was a pop up page and turned out really cute.  I had a lot of fun adding interest to this page with different pen strokes; patterns, cross hatching, dots, lines.  white ink and black.  It added some interest to the page.  The color filling the page is actually water color crayon, one of my favorite mediums on paper.  It is inexpensive, low mess, easy to clean up and allows for layering.  The crayon is activated with water after it is applied, but also can be activated with modge podge or acrylic sealer.

Whimsical House Pop Up Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media

Art At The Speed Of Life Lesson 20

In Pam Carriker's book Creating Art At The Speed Of Life Lesson 20, the goal was to create a page with cubist style shapes.  I chose to use hands as in her example but to assign each of the three hands to represent people in relationship with me.  Mine is the yellow hand, my mom was the orange hand and my daughter was the green hand.  I loved using washes of water color on already printed papers and then layering diluted paint on top to create the forms on this page.

I remember my mom's hands and the things they made.  She painted with watercolor.  She sewed doll clothes.  She quilted.  She made curtains.  She created the most amazing birthday parties for us growing up.  She used her hands well...  A gift I want to pass on to my daughter and those I love.  I create with my hands and it impacts the world around me.  With my hands, I leave my mark.

I Remember My Mom's Hands
Art Journal Page
by Cheryl Harris White
Mixed Media